Month

November 2016

You know that contented feeling you get when you’ve eaten a really sustaining, well-cooked meal? Your body rests knowing that it’s life-giving energy stores have been replenished.

Replenishing also happens when we feed on God’s word and in His presence. Jesus called himself the “bread of life”, and advised us not to waste our money and time on food that does not satisfy. In actual fact He asks us to instead feed on Him continually.

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

There are many pastimes and pursuits in which we can try to replenish our life. Some are even beneficial, (like taking time out, and making time to enjoy life), and some aren’t. However we have been created with a need and deep desire within the very core of our being to commune with God, and with heaven. When we seek Him, and take every opportunity to know God deeply, something happens on the inside of us. Our hearts, minds, spirits, and even our bodies are quickened, restored and replenished with the life of God.

Jesus said, “I’m telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died. But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever. I am the Bread—living Bread!—who came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live—and forever! The Bread that I present to the world so that it can eat and live is myself, this flesh-and-blood self.” (John 6:48-51 Message)

In a world of diets, calorie counting, and the latest advice of what to eat, and what not to eat, Jesus says “come feast on me”. Feast on my presence, get fat on my word, and watch and experience for yourself the change and difference it will make. When we get “fat” on Jesus, and abide in Him and allow His words to abide and rest in our thought and hearts, that “fatness will in actual fact break off every yoke, burden, addiction, bad habit and limitation in our life. No wonder Jesus says to feast. He knows what will happen when we do, and the freedom it will bring.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:27-29)

We get to the point where we find a place of rest, knowing that we have everything we need, and that God really is with us. When we rest in Jesus and allow His word to rest in us the result is a bit like resting back after a good meal, and knowing it’s doing its job to keep us healthy and full of energy and life.

Today, rest in Jesus and His promises for your life. Search them out in the bible if you need to, and let them dwell and abide richly in you. His words and presence will give you sustenance and strength, and cause you to grow fat in your spirit so that every yoke and burden will be broken off.

“Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives.” (Colossians 3:16 Message)

“In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat. “(Isaiah 10:27 NIV)

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10)

Prayer: Lord please help me to rest in you and your promises for my life, and that I will understand that I have all I need in you. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Do you ever feel like there is a shift and change happening? You may not physically be able to see it, but you can sense it.

But when we are looking for change to happen in our lives, we need to position and ready ourselves for it to happen, and prepare for whatever that means. It’s a bit like being pregnant with a baby, and preparing yourself for the new arrival. If you don’t get ready, it’ll be a mad dash when that baby arrives, and you and all those around you, will more than likely miss some of the wonder of it all.

Whenever a shift or change occurs if we are listening to Gods promptings, He will begin to encourage us to stretch and expand our expectations, our horizons, our vision. He’ll encourage us to deal with issues, and shed any unnecessary weights or distractions. He will start revealing to us to look up and ahead, instead of behind us at our past, or down at the dust of our failures or disappointments. God encourages us to position ourselves so that we don’t miss any of what He is releasing in and over our lives.

There is something humming in my spirit today, that it is time for expansion, for things to break forth. That there is a shift and a change occurring. And God is saying, “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back, strengthen your stakes”. For you will spread out to the right and to the left. (54:2-3)

Shifts and changes mean we must push against constraints, against limiting mindsets, against unbelief, disappointments, fears and failure. We push past these limiting “stakes” in our life and shift the marker pegs (the tent pegs), so that we can spread out and increase our capacities to hold and inhabit all God wants to release in our lives. We ready ourselves for what we are believing for.

The bible says that even when we feel barren, when we have nothing, when we are desolate and desperate, that is the perfect time for us to lift up our eyes, to lift up our voices and to sing and shout for joy, because God has a way through. God has the victory, God has the answer, He has the solution, and He is on our side.

I’ve learnt over the years to sing out His promises, even when I can’t see in the natural how anything is going to change; how the barrenness and difficulties are ever going to be replaced with abundance and blessing. I’ve learnt to not look with my natural eyes, but with eyes of trust and believing that better things are ahead, that angels are right now working on my behalf, that solutions, provision, healing and breakthrough are mine.

Today agree with what’s coming out of heaven, and choose to “declare and decree” God’s goodness over your life and over your family, workplace, relationships, neighbourhood, city and nation. No longer see yourself or your circumstances as barren, dried up, beaten up, anxious, sick, old, or poor.

Today look and see with eyes of faith and believing, for God has a plan, a strategy and a breaking through for every situation we are facing in our personal lives, and in the world today. Then stir yourself up in the promises of God, open your mouth and sing out and start decreeing and declaring breakthrough, release and change for the better.

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy” (Isaiah 54:1)

Prayer: Lord thank you that breakthrough, expansion, release and change is coming straight out of heaven today. I believe for things to shift and change for the better in every circumstance of my life today. In Jesus name Amen.

As the year draws to a close I have been pondering on the need to think and believe for bigger and better for the future. I think God wants us to be continually believing, and expectant of Him to do more in, and through our lives. He never limits how far and high we can soar in life, but we certainly can.

God wants us to dream bigger, and to go from faith to faith, increasing in our ability to believe Him. Once we have reached one height, He encourages us to look up, and to see what next adventure and new level our faith can take us to.

I once heard heaven described as “an expansion of every good thing on earth”. I like that, because expansion means growth and freedom, enlargement, amplification, development, expectancy and life. We have within us that capacity for expansion, for the kingdom of heaven resides within us.

“Now when He (Jesus) was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

We only need trust God and His goodness, and seek after and allow heavens expansive, explosive power to be released in us. To desire visions and dreams to explode within our spirits; to transform our minds and renew our thinking, and subsequently the words we speak.

I love being around my husband, especially when he starts to speak visions and dreams. He has faith for God to do exploits through and in Him, and it’s catching. The words he speaks are words of faith and life and God uses Him, and others like him to stir up and bring into the light the God given dreams that have lain dormant and hidden within people’s hearts.

It is a constant reminder to me of that fact that it really does matter who we “hang around” with. There are many whom the dream thief (the devil) has stolen from, and unless they allow Holy Spirit to stir up the dreams within them, will waste no time in telling you to get back to reality, and to stop dreaming. Perhaps that is why so many people are like “dead men walking”. Or as Benjamin Franklin once stated, “Most men die from the neck up at age twenty-five because they stop dreaming.”

But that is not Gods plan or desire for mankind. When we are vitally connected to Him, and His words remain in us, the very life and expansive power of heaven starts to be activated in our lives. Impossibilities become realities, the weird and the wonderful starts to break open in us. Miracles, provision, breakthrough, restoration, solutions and strategies begin to be released and downloaded into our hearts and minds.

Today, consider whom you are listening to. Are you listening to those who tell you constantly to “get real” and to come back down to earth? Or are you listening to God, and to those men and women around you of faith, visions and dreams? God has expansion on His mind. He wants us to believe for more, to expect Him to work in and through us. Good things are up ahead; breakthrough and release are on God’s agenda, for “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? “ (Romans 8:31-32)

Even if this year has been difficult or filled with disappointments, look up today and believe for better things coming your way. Start to declare it, speak God’s promises, and know that the angels of heaven are working on your behalf to bring it to pass.

“By faith and patience you WILL inherit the promises of God” (Hebrews 6:12)

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14 NIV)

“For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:10-11 NIV)

“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” (Psalm 130:20 KJV)

Prayer: Lord thank you for reminding me to dream bigger and better things for my future. Surround me with people who believe, who expect, who dream and who see and hear from heaven. Good things are being released in my life today. In Jesus Name Amen.

God says in the Psalms “He knew you before the foundation of the world”. Before the world was even formed God knew you and had a plan for your life. (Psalm 139)

So why does our plan often seem so far away? Why does it often seem, if God does have a plan and purpose for our lives, that we seem to be heading in the other direction? Why does it seem that the roadblocks, the mountains are insurmountable and are stopping us from achieving the dream within us.

Many people never become who they were made to be; they let go of their dreams, because it is too hard, and it looks impossible. Many people make their dream smaller and settle for less, and some even eventually stop dreaming at all, and just exist.

But God never made you or I to be like that. He never made any of us to be ordinary, or to just plod through our life.

John 10:10 says that Jesus came to the earth to give us life. What sort of life? Abundant life! We were all created with greatness on the inside of us, and made to achieve the vision and dream placed within each of our hearts by God.

Unfortunately separation from God, and our own poor choices and decision to do things our way, can separate us from the dream we were made to fulfil. There is a dream thief – the devil. His plan is to get us settle, to compromise, and to let go of our dream. His plan is to separate us from a relationship with God, and His supernatural strength and love. The dream thief’s aim is to try and make us believe that our dream looks like an impossibility.

We may think of our past, or disappointments, and of how things haven’t worked out the way we dreamt of. We think on and consider all these things, and the temptation is to say “it’s just too hard, and too painful to dream.”

But the dream is within us already. Our dreams are still there. They just need to be shaken and stirred up a little. That’s what God does when we draw near to Him. Holy spirit stirs us up. He shakes up and shakes off those unnecessary things in our lives, so that we are left with our dream.

Today, take the time to dream. To allow God to shake off the things that distract, pull down, or cloud the plan and purpose for which you were born. In God, there is always more than you can ask, think, dream or possibly imagine. (Ephesians 3:20). He promises to do His part, the question is will we dare to dream and do ours?

Dream today, write it down and make it clear so that you may run with it. Bring your dream to God and ask for His strategy and direction as to what steps to take. Then go for it, and begin to fulfil that for which you were made.

Prayer: Lord thank you that you have a plan and purpose for my life, and that you are the giver of dreams. Please help me to stir up the dream within me, and then bring it to you so that you can help me begin to take the steps to fulfil it. In Jesus Name. Amen.

“For I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Each week in our house we write everyone’s names on a piece of paper and place them in a bowl. Then we each secretly pick a name out. The name of our chosen person is our “special person” for the week, and it’s each of our task and focus to give specially into their lives for the entire week.

All week gifts are left on pillows, treats in the fridge, deliveries of breakfasts in bed, daily jobs around the house done for our special person, encouraging notes, or spending time with our special person, doing something they like.

Our special person tradition started because it’s easy in a busy house to get caught up in only doing what is necessary to get things done, rather than encouraging and taking the time to think of others, and serve them as Jesus would. Love is what makes a family work, and Jesus gave us the example that love is to be demonstrated in how we treat one another, and in what we do and say.

Having a different special person each week means we all have to listen, watch and think about the other member of our family. We take notice of each other’s favourite foods, each other’s schedules and how we might be able to help, how we can express love, and also simply be less caught up in our own little world. Our special person tradition has helped our whole family be kinder and more considerate; it’s taught us how to practically serve one another, and to appreciate the blessings we all receive when we choose to go out of our way to think about someone else.

Everyone benefits from knowing that they are special, unique and worth thinking of. That their particular likes and dislikes have been noticed, and taken into account in how we relate to them. Life isn’t meant to be just about us, and what we want. As I say to our kids “Life does not just revolve around you”. In actual fact life is so much richer, and more meaningful when we take the time and effort to share it with others, and make them feel appreciated.

“Over and over again in the Bible, God commands us to love each other, and you can’t command an emotion. If I told you right now, “Be sad!” you couldn’t be sad on cue. If love were just an emotion, then God couldn’t command it. But love is something you do. It can produce emotion, but love is an action.” (Rick Warren)

The Bible says, “Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18 NLT). We can all talk a lot, and even say, “I love people.” But do we really love them? Our love is revealed in how we act towards others, our family, friends, neighbours and workmates. Love is action.

Start today and think about the people in your world. Then choose someone to be your special person for the day or week, and put love into action.

Prayer: Lord show me who to choose as my special person, that I might be a source of encouragement and blessing to them today. Help me to love in action. In Jesus Name Amen.

We can all get a little grumpy at times. Perhaps some people get grumpier than others. However, most things that happen in our daily lives which cause us to become grumpy, we won’t even remember in twenty years time. So why are we letting these things steal our joy today?

Life is too precious to be known as Mr or Mrs Grumpy pants, so here are some tips to help avoid those grumpy, grouchy moments that can so easily steal our joy, thankfulness and perspective:

1.Be alert to what makes you grouchy – At the end of a day I like a little quiet. Excessively loud music or too much loud talking annoys me. Watch out for your grouchy triggers, and avoid them, or minimise their impact. Sometimes we just need to remove ourselves from the room or situation, and breathe and do something to relax.

2.Don’t let other people’s grouchiness affect you – We all need to be mindful of who we are spending time with, or watching and listening to. Plus if we respond to other people’s grouches we will only add to the grouchiness.

3.Surround yourself with positivity – Don’t get sucked into negative discussions, bad news on social media or the news. Don’t let others steal your joy, and get bogged down in their stuff. Other grumpy people will always try to squash your joy and bliss. Refuse to let them. Their problems are theirs, not yours. If people don’t wish to deal with their issues, that’s their decision and problem, not yours.

Be around positive, happy, people as much as possible. Choose not to read that depressing newsfeed on Facebook; ask yourself, “do I really need to hear another piece of bad news or negativity?”

4.Have a sense of humour – sometimes we just need to not take ourselves, and life so seriously. Lighten up and look for the good in your day. Have a good chuckle at the funniness of life, and decide to enjoy, and not be annoyed by all the funny and unusual people in it.

5.Hug someone – My husband has a technique of hugging me for at least 20 seconds when I am grumpy or feeling on edge. He says it takes at least that long for someone to relax and “receive a hug.” Hug someone, or cuddle a pet and receive the benefit of physical touch.

6.Talk to someone – sometimes we just need to feel listened to, and be able to share what we are going through or feeling. We can all benefit from sharing what’s on our hearts and minds. It stops things going around and around in our minds in a jumbled mess, which usually leads to anxiety, stress and grumpiness. Make a regular time to have a cuppa, and a good chat with someone you can trust.

7.A merry heart is like medicine (Proverbs 17:22) Watch a funny movie or do something that makes you laugh. Laughter goes a long way to getting rid of the grumps.

8.Do some exercise – the positive endorphins, and stress relief experienced when we exercise does actually create a natural “high” and mood lifter. So get your heart pumping.

9.Lastly but most importantly, hang out with Jesus – “The grumps” are no match for Him. Praise Him for who He is, and how much He loves you.

Praise silences grumpiness, and the king of the grumps the devil, and gives us a heavenly and eternal perspective. Sing, speak God’s promises (there are hundreds of them) and let go of your worries and bad mood. God promises He will then fill you with bliss and joy unspeakable.

Today give all your cares, worries, and grouches to Him, and receive afresh His love and joy for you.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8)

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

This week we have become the owners of an instant garden. I say instant because it has arrived at our house as an established garden in large pots. We literally have pots all over our back yard. Then I remembered that a few weeks ago we also received a trailer load of other plants that are now planted in our garden, and also some free mulch.

I believe in the spiritual principal of sowing and reaping. Where we sow in faith believing that God will bless and multiply back to us our giving, and that in due course we will reap a harvest 30, 60, and 100 fold what we have sown.

The bible has a lot to say about this principal of sowing and reaping. Farmers plant seeds and gather the harvest, and when God said we will reap what we sow, he meant we will live with the results of our actions and our giving, just as a farmer sows his seeds and reaps a harvest on his sowing.

God’s word will accomplish in our lives that for which he sent it forth to do.(Isaiah 55:11) God desires to meet our every need, to answer our prayers and to multiply our giving back to us. He exhorts us to follow the simple laws of seedtime and harvest.

“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap… And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we don’t not give up”. (Galatians 6:7)

“Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you”. (Luke 6:38)

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:11 NLT)

My husband and I have experienced the fruit of living by this law of seedtime and harvest, and today I suddenly remembered why I have been receiving all these free plants and acquiring an instant garden. I’ve sown for it.

A few years ago I purchased 2 small pots of everlasting daisies which flowered where I planted them in our front garden. I decided to pick all the dried flowers heads off of these two small plants when spring ended, so as to collect the seeds for planting the following year. In autumn I scattered these seeds throughout our front garden, and in springtime there was no longer just two plants but many, many plants all flowering prolifically. Once again I collected the seed heads for planting – but this time there was not hundreds but thousands of seeds to be collected; so many in fact I had to give paper bags filled with seeds away to as many people as I could find. The following spring we had “blankets” of pink and white everlastings in both our front and back gardens.

My giving and blessing others with bags and bags of free seeds was literally my seed sowing, and my instant free garden is the harvest. No dramas, no stress, just harvest time. God is not mocked, for what you sow, that is also what you will reap, so do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest. (Galatians 6:7)

Today, if you are in need, or are seeking for God to do something in your life, ask Him where you can “sow a seed”. My husband and I have a saying” If we have a need, we sow a seed”. Look around at what you have that you can bless someone with, or how you can meet a need. Even small things sown in love and faith will reap a mighty harvest; and the more we sow, the more we can expect to reap. It’s God’s way of doing things, for He’s promised “that as long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night” (Genesis 8:22).

Make sowing a regular part of your life, and watch how your harvest will spring up.

Prayer: Lord thank you that your word is true. Show me where I can sow seeds today. I believe your word, that as I sow I will reap 100 fold on my giving. In Jesus name Amen.

Today I sat in on our eldest son’s guitar lesson. There are many things he has to think about while playing: his posture, hand position, rhythm, playing the notes, and getting his fingers in the correct place quickly enough, reading the music and understanding how it is to be played. Both sides of his brain are engaged. As I watched and listened today, I was struck by the amount of discipline and focus it takes to play well. But his discipline and practice are paying off – He’s getting really good!

Life is full of the need for discipline, and the focus it creates in our lives. Often we “beat ourselves” up over our failure to remain focused and follow through on our New Year resolutions. For without discipline we can easily begin to flounder in our resolve, and consequently our ability to reach goals, lead a healthy lifestyle, grow spiritually and ultimately be happy. But being disciplined is a habit we can practice for a better life, and is what many successful people attribute their success and happiness to.

There are great benefits to leading a disciplined life. Its one of the easiest ways to gain respect in the workplace from our employer and colleagues, and sets a positive example and witness to others, as it creates focus, reliability, patience, and consistency in our characters.

Discipline also helps us be healthy, keeps us fit and active, assists our educational pursuits, and encourages us to be self controlled, resulting in positive relations with others. When we practice being disciplined we get things done faster and in the right time period. We are usually less stressed because we are more organised and know what we are doing, and are able to plan in advance.

God speaks in His word a lot about discipline, and how important it is for us to be focused, consistent, and disciplined in our walk with Him. He knows that it need not be a negative, controlling or limiting aspect of our lives, but a part of our character that will help us become all that He created us to be. By discipline we run our race, and win the prize, as we fix our eyes firmly ahead. A disciplined life helps prevent us from stumbling, and enables us to be consistent in our speech, behaviour and faith. It enables us to remain steadfast in adversity, and patient as we believe and pray.

God encourages us to be, “hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined,” and cautions that “a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” (Titus 1:8; Proverbs 25:28)

I can think of many times when I have let myself and others down from not being as disciplined as I could have been. But God is so gracious and encourages us in our weaknesses to forgive ourselves, ask for His strength and choose to move forward. When we draw close to God we discover more of who we are in Him. As we look at Him and His word, we will see ourselves as He sees us, as new creations; who are disciplined, gentle, self-controlled and people who run our race well.

“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)

Today, start with small areas of your life that you desire to be more disciplined in; make simple changes first, and write them down so that they are clear to you; ask God for His strength and help, and go for it. It’s in the daily decisions, the choices and the habits we create and establish in our lives that discipline grows. It’s not burdensome, but about living a freer life, no longer governed by our emotions, weaknesses or bad habits.

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air, but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1)

“and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:23-24)

Prayer: Lord thank you that you have created me in your image and likeness. I have resurrection power residing on the inside of me, and the ability and strength to do all things. Help me to understand more fully who I am in you, and to lead a more disciplined, focused and healthier, joy-filled life. In Jesus name Amen.

This week our youngest two children are having swimming lessons at the local pool. The weather is heating up, and there is quite a few people making use of the pool. Swimming pools are places where one really sees the different shapes and sizes of those around us. Both short and tall, young and old, those who have spent the winter months working out at the gym, and those whom my kids describe as a little “fluffy” or squidgy around the edges. There are the loud and the shy, and those who confidently “strut their stuff” poolside, and those who hold onto their towels as long as possible, before quickly submerging themselves in the water.

The wonderful thing is that God has made each of us unique. There’s nobody else like me, and there is nobody else like you. And in a world that seeks to categorise and shape everyone to look, talk, dress, and live out their beliefs and faith in certain models and frameworks, its refreshing to be reminded that God loves uniqueness. He is the one who shaped us; to look how we do physically, and to be wired towards particular interests, talents, passions and abilities.

Being poolside this week has reminded me to love and enjoy the “skin we’re in”. There is no point trying to be someone else. We can admire and be inspired by others, but the balance of looking at others is that it must lift us up, and not make us resent our own journey, or cause us to try to be somebody else.

Our shape; both internally and externally is created specifically for God’s plan and purpose for our lives. He has wired each one of us to experience, to contribute, and to enjoy life in our own unique way. He wants us to spend our life firstly discovering who we are in Him, and then enjoying how He has made us, and how we can serve and glorify Him.

When we “get happy” with the shape we’re in, and seek to stretch and grow into the best “us” we can be, it not only feels good, but it also makes God smile. He is a loving Father and just as parents delight to see their children discovering who they are, and using and enjoying their gifts and abilities, our Heavenly Father does too.

Today, enjoy the “skin you’re in”; keep discovering and exploring all that God has wired you to be. And next time you are poolside, why not “throw your towel to the wind,” don’t bother with what anyone else looks like or thinks, (why should you care) and go make a big splash!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139)

Prayer: Lord thank you that you know me, and have made me unique and special. Help me to embrace all that you have made me to be, and to enjoy the journey. In Jesus Name Amen.